Thoughts from the interface of science, religion, law and culture

After spending several years touring the country as a stand up comedian, Ed Brayton tired of explaining his jokes to small groups of dazed illiterates and turned to writing as the most common outlet for the voices in his head. He has appeared on the Rachel Maddow Show and the Thom Hartmann Show, and is almost certain that he is the only person ever to make fun of Chuck Norris on C-SPAN.

EVENTS

Barber and Staver: The Boys Who Cried ‘Persecution’

Matt Barber and Mat Staver are continuing their Martyrpalooza 2013 tour, loudly declaring that they will never give in and do something that no one will ever require them to do. And because they won’t do what they don’t have to do, they’ll be persecuted for it.

“Come what may,” Barber proclaimed, “come the persecution, come the penalties, come what may, the full weight of government, we will not pretend that a man can marry a man or a woman can marry a women under any circumstances, in any context whatsoever.”

Great. Knock yourself out! Feel free to not “pretend” that all day, every day until the day you die. Guess what? Not a single shit will be given. No one will care. You can refuse to call a gay couple married all you want. You can refuse to go to gay weddings. You can continue to rail against them from your pulpits and your radio shows. Be my guest. You just won’t be able to actually deny them to other people no matter how much wailing and gnashing of teeth you engage in.

It must be terribly inconvenient to be so specifically submissive, as I understand it, most subs tend to get off on relatively mundane abuse & /or humiliation but these guys need to be actively persecuted

Why do these sorts imagine they’d ever be invited to a wedding of a same sex couple? Are they planning on befriending gay couples in the hope of one day being invited to a wedding they could derisively turn down?

Make no mistake about it. The institution of natural marriage was designed by and is owned by the creator of the universe, god, and we will not render unto Caesar something that does not belong to Caesar.

So really, he is upset about the intellectual property infringement of the SCOTUS decision.

It sounds almost like Matt is desperately hoping that somebody might find a way to persecute him, so that he can feel properly martyred. “Please, please crucify me — see I’ve got this lovely cross that you can nail me to. Here, I’ll even drive the first couple of nails in myself. Why won’t any of you liberal meanies persecute me?”

After all, any attention is better than the complete irrelevance that anti-marriage-equality advocates see looming. After all, who really give a damn about anti-miscegenation advocates any more (even if you could find one)?

You will never make us do things we don’t want to do. Dirty, filthy things. Chained in your basement, naked, against our wills, after we’re kidnapped. No. no… don’t… don’t make us… please… We’re begging you…

Make no mistake about it. The institution of natural marriage was designed by and is owned by the creator of the universe, god, and we will not render unto Caesar something that does not belong to Caesar.

And, yet, every church wedding is preceded by a visit to the state offices to obtain a marriage license, which is signed by the couple and witnesses after the ceremony. (That’s why everyone disappears for a while and leaves the guests cooling their heels.)
The state already OWNS legal marriage – the churches just add a sugar coating of religion to the contract signing.

Strange how these guys always refer to Mark 10:8 and Matthew 19:5, which aren’t about gender issues, but clearly state that divorce, if followed by another marriage, is adultery. Cherry-picking as usual.